Really enjoyed the first 'Night at the Museum'. Was less taken with the second, though that was more a mixed feelings sort film rather than a bad one. While not particularly well received, there was interest as to how the third 'Night at the Museum' film would fare and how the trilogy would end. Also the cast are too good to resist.
'Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb' to me didn't turn out to be terrible. Not great, or particularly good, but it is watchable enough and like the second film in being a mixed feelings sort of film. Where does it fare compared to the previous two films? It is for me the weakest of the three and indicative that the series had run its course. It does have enough to warrant a one-time watch, with the special effects and the cast being the best assets.
The special effects are all round terrific, elaborate without being overblown and it was clear a lot of effort went into them. The museum setting provides a good atmosphere and all the different historical and such settings and attention to detail are attractive and again a lot of effort went into them. The score is rousing and there are amusing moments as well as thrilling ones.
Ben Stiller makes the most out of his material and works hard to make it work. Dan Stevens is a quite exuberant addition as Lancelot, Ricky Gervais is fun and it was interesting seeing Rami Malek and Ben Kingsley together (Malek doesn't quite out-act Kingsley but more than holds his own). Dick Van Dyke and Mickey Rooney (in his final film) make nice small appearances, but other than Stevens the best performance comes from Robin Williams in a performance that's funny and somewhat moving. The monkey is also a scene stealer and just about avoids falling into distaste and the digs and references are quite nice.
However, the dialogue tends to be forced and too many of the jokes suffer from fatigue. Larry was written with much more enthusiasm before, he is not particularly interesting here, despite some well-intentioned if cloying father-son development, and he is made to act like too much of an idiot in other places. Owen Wilson and Steve Coogan try too hard and have been much funnier and better used elsewhere, while Rebel Wilson is just irritating. The direction is not as assured.
It's the story that comes off worst. It is very tired and predictable, and that is evident in lacklustre pacing and too many been there done that elements, including conflict that is too obvious too early. There is a sense of trying to do too much, hence why things feel muddled, and the characters are too many, some not always relevant. Structurally it feels cobbled together, while the final third is incredibly rushed and over-the-top and culminates in an ending where the sentimentality is too hard to stomach.
Concluding, watchable but also rather lacking. 5/10 Bethany Cox
